Which is the world’s most visited city? London? New York? Paris? Well, it’s Thailand’s capital, Bangkok catering to 15.98 million international visitors this year, as per Global Destination Cities Index.
With more than 40,000 temples, Thailand has become one of the most visited countries in the world. According to the UN World Tourism Organisation (WTO), over 22 million foreigners visited the country in 2012, making Thailand the fourth most visited country in Asia and the Pacific and 15th most visited in the world.
The Thai monastery temples are called ‘wat’ meaning ‘school’. The detailed designs and flamboyant colours are characteristics of wats. These temples are not isolated buildings but a cluster of small buildings, shrines and monuments in a courtyard enclosed by walls on all four sides.
Gulf News reader Abrar Mohsin took this picture at Wat Mahatha, a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, built in the 14th century. He said: “This image is iconic of the culture’s artistic expression and religious iconography. The head of Lord Buddha entwined in the roots of a tree raises curiosity, as nobody knows how it happened.”
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